Librarians, Architects, and the Space In-Between

Mount Holly, NJ, 15 May 2008 – RYEBREAD President Regan Young is featured in a two-page spread in the Spring 2008 issue of the national publication Library by Design. In the lengthy piece, Young discusses the collaborative design of today’s libraries.

Called “Librarians, Architects, and the Space In-Between”, the article was written in interview-style, with questions coming from Tina Keresztury, Assistant Director for the New Jersey State Library. Keresztury recently managed a $45 million grant program that funded additions, renovations, and new buildings for 68 public libraries statewide. RYEBREAD Architects is described as “a Mount Holly, NJ, firm that designs public and K-12 libraries, as well as other public- and private-sector projects”, and Young as “an architect with 30 years experience, he also comments on architecture, planning, and related topics for newspapers, magazines, and radio.”

In the publication, Young explains, “The architect must be an advocate not only for those who will work in the library but also for the users and for the entity that will own the building (probably the one that hired his/her firm). At the same time, the architect is trying to use his/her skills and talent to create something that shows off the best that our culture has to offer.”

He continues, “Your architect must be able to respond to the orientation, views, access, and opportunities unique to each site. Thoughtful landscaping and site planning tie a structure to the land and make it belong, and sensitive lighting, graphics, mechanical systems, and interior design enhance a building’s livability. New work must take shape acknowledging our built heritage, which includes the realities of the 20th century and the possibilities for the 21st century. Even more, you need a design professional who is personally committed to accomplishing all this while at the same time minimizing the project’s cost, delay, maintenance, and ecological impact and enhancing the quality of life in our built environment.”